Mumbai, February 22 (IANS). Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday said the state government has recommended a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) investigation into the January 28 plane crash. Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar died in this plane crash. This demand has been made after demanding a transparent and complete investigation.
Speaking to reporters after the general tea meeting and cabinet meeting ahead of the budget session of the state assembly, Fadnavis said he has spoken to Union Home Minister Amit Shah about the demand for a central inquiry.
The Chief Minister said that the State Government is committed to ensure a thorough and impartial investigation into the crash near Baramati Airstrip and to find out the exact cause of the accident.
He said multiple agencies, including the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Directorate of Air Safety, and the state Crime Investigation Department (CID), are already investigating together.
Fadnavis confirmed that the aircraft’s flight data recorder (black box) has been found and is being forensically examined to help reconstruct the sequence of events that led to the crash.
Talking about the concerns and allegations of the leaders, the Chief Minister said that all doubts should be cleared through the official investigation process.
Fadnavis said, “If anyone has doubts, they should be removed through proper investigation. We should have faith in our institutions and let the investigating agencies complete their work.” He asked politicians and the public to avoid speculation and wait for the initial results of the DGCA investigation, which are expected to be released soon.
CM Fadnavis said that the state government has also written to the Union Civil Aviation Ministry to conduct a detailed investigation to identify any systemic or technical problems and strengthen aviation safety.
He said that the results of the investigation will help in improving safety standards and preventing such incidents in future. Meanwhile, opposition leaders have demanded a full investigation into the crash and more transparency in the investigation.
NCP-SP MLA Rohit Pawar alleged that the circumstances of the crash needed a deeper investigation and demanded an independent probe. Officials said further action would depend on the outcome of the ongoing investigation and the Centre’s decision regarding the recommendation for a CBI probe.
–IANS
SCH